HEED YOUR OWN ADVICE, VLAD:

Leaders add to pressure on Syrians to pull out (Katrin Bennhold, March 19, 2005, International Herald Tribune)

President Vladimir Putin of Russia on Friday joined the leaders of France, Germany and Spain in reiterating a call for Syria to withdraw its troops from Lebanon rapidly, increasing pressure on a country that has until recently enjoyed good relations with Moscow.

Putin, after talks with President Jacques Chirac, Chancellor Gerhard Schröder and Prime Minister José Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, backed an official declaration that called for "the total withdrawal of Syrian armed forces and security services that must rapidly leave Lebanese territory."

"We confirm our commitment in favor of a complete implementation of Resolution 1559 of the Security Council for a sovereign, independent and democratic Lebanon for which the Lebanese people are showing in a spectacular manner their attachment," the declaration said. It was referring to the UN resolution that was spearheaded by the United States and France last fall and has gained impetus after the assassination last month of a former Lebanese prime minister, Rafik al-Hariri.

The writing is on the Chechen wall.

Posted by Orrin Judd at March 19, 2005 9:11 AM